The present invention relates generally to magnetic components for electronic circuits and more particularly to magnetic components such as inductors and transformers having a bobbin and one or more windings or coils disposed on the bobbin.
Magnetic components are generally known in the art for use in electronic circuits for various applications such as converting power or voltage. Such components are commonly found in many types of circuits and electronic devices such as power supplies and converters, amplifiers, voltage regulators, etc. Many conventional magnetic components for electronic circuits utilize a bobbin around which one or more conductive windings or coils are positioned. A magnetically permeable core is positioned near the bobbin structure for manipulating or shaping a magnetic field generated when electric current is passed through the one or more conductive windings. In many conventional magnetic components, the core extends into an axial passage in the bobbin on the interior of the winding or coil loops.
Conventional transformer devices generally include a primary winding wrapped a first number of turns around the bobbin, and a second winding wrapped a second number of turns around the same bobbin. Each winding may be associated with different portions of an electronic circuit or alternatively different electronic circuits altogether. By controlling the number of turns and location of each winding, desired performance characteristics of the transformer may be achieved.
One problem with conventional bobbin-wound magnetic components such as transformers that utilize multiple windings is proper positioning of the various coils. Minor variations in winding placement can affect device performance. As such, precision winding configurations are necessary to ensure consistent and reliable performance. However, in many applications, complex magnetic field interactions are desired among the primary and secondary windings. Such magnetic field interactions may be required for example to reduce effects of the magnetic component on surrounding circuit elements or to reduce high frequency effects and power losses. Conventional winding configurations using conductive wires wound around a bobbin may be inadequate for such complex field interactions due in part to problems with wire positioning, wire size, etc.
Another problem associated with conventional magnetic component devices includes movement of planar windings during positioning of one or more wire coils on the bobbin structure between the planar windings. The planar windings may become unintentionally misaligned or may fall out during the coil winding process. Additionally, coil placement between planar windings may cause the planar windings to flex or bow axially, resulting in uneven coil placement.
What is needed then are improvements in the devices and methods for magnetic components and associated bobbin structures for positioning one or more conductive windings.